A/N This is my very first fanfic, so keep an open mind. =) Lines that are enclosed with *~* are song lyrics, as you'll see. I tried my best to make this easy to read, so have fun! (By the way, this is an H/H story. Personally, I much prefer R/H, because that leaves Harry free to date Ginny [yay for Ginny!], but H/H just worked better for the plot line. Sorry, R/H fans!)
~*~*~*~
"Cho?" Harry barely breathed her name in disbelief. He couldn't understand why after two years, she was choosing to break up with him.
"I'm sorry, Harry, I really am," Cho insisted, "But I just need to move on. I don't feel the same way anymore. I'd hoped you would understand." She couldn't even look at him, and yet she had enough courage to dump him like he meant nothing to her.
Harry felt anger like he'd never felt before, and something worse. Betrayal. He had been betrayed by someone who had told him she'd always love him, she'd always care for him, they'd always be together. She says she's sorry? Harry thought angrily. Fine, that's just great, we spent two whole years together and now she's just giving it up? What now?
Harry couldn't speak anymore; he was too upset. He could barely see straight, and the sight of Cho was making him physically ill. He rose from his seat in the Ravenclaw common room and strode out, trying to salvage as much dignity as he possibly could.
~*~*~*~
Meanwhile, Hermione was sitting on her bed, full of teenage angst and doubts. Just tell him, she thought. What's worse: him not feeling the same way, or never telling him and wondering forever if he loved me back? She shook her head to clear it and then resumed studying the book in front of her. She'd almost forgotten that she was supposed to be learning how to reverse the full Body-Bind spell, not thinking of ways to declare her love for Harry.
She'd only gotten a few sentences into the next paragraph when another voice spoke up inside of her. Hermione Granger, it declared, you are a CHICKEN. She then heard faint clucking noises and the sound of flapping wings. That'd better be my imagination, she thought, looking over her shoulder just to be sure. She then decided it was useless to try studying and slammed the book shut. "Why does this have to be so difficult?" she moaned aloud. She half expected the chicken noises to resume, or at least a chicken's voice to cluck an answer, but she was only greeted by the sound of Harry's angry voice coming from the common room a short distance away.
~*~*~*~
Ron was getting worried. "Harry, please, calm down, you're --"
"Calm down?" roared Harry. "I just got dumped by someone I'd been seeing for two years and you tell me to CALM DOWN?" He practically fell headfirst into the fireplace but regained his balance just in time. "Cho just broke my heart, and you tell me to CALM DOWN?" He slammed his fist into a wall, wincing as shooting pain quickly wound its way up his arm. "Ow!"
"HARRY, SIT DOWN!" yelled Ron. Surprised, Harry looked at his friend. Then, he looked at the rest of the occupants of the Gryffindor common room, who were all staring at him, and gulped audibly. He shut his mouth and sank down into the chair that Ron was pointing at.
"First of all," Ron began, "You knew this was coming. You told me yourself that you'd been feeling as though Cho was becoming detatched. Then, you told me that she'd been flirting with that new exchange student. Really, Harry, this wasn't such a surprise to you and you know it."
Harry concentrated on his throbbing hand, which was already swollen to twice its normal size. He couldn't look at Ron or anyone else and just nodded almost imperceptibly.
"So," Ron continued, "My suggestion is that you go take walk and calm down, like any sane person would try to do. What's done is done, and the best you can do is just try to get through it. I'm here for you," Ron said as his put his arm around his friend, "But you need to take a step back and breathe."
The common room hadn't been this silent since the day of Cedric Diggory's death. Everyone was still looking at Harry and waiting for his response, whether it was slugging Ron in the nose or getting up and leaving. Harry chose to get up and leave. He decided to take his friend's advice and go for a long walk. A very long walk. Maybe when he came back, things would be different.
~*~*~*~
Hermione couldn't believe it. She fell back on to her bed, wondering whether she should be happy for herself, or upset for Harry. She knew that every good friend would be upset if their best friend had just lost someone that special to them, but she just couldn't hide the tiny smile that was spreading across her face. Now is definitely not the time to tell him how I feel, but I can't wait much longer. What if Cho decides she made the wrong decision and wants him back? She waited again, just to make sure some deranged invisible chicken wasn't going to answer her, then decided she was sane. Maybe I should go for a walk, too. She quickly pulled on her cloak and stood up.
~*~*~*~
Ron sighed and looked at the spot where Harry had punched the wall. Ouch, he thought. There was a huge dent, left by Harry's surely throbbing knuckle. Sure glad he didn't deck me.
He then looked up as Hermione entered the room. She joined him on the couch he was slumped in. "Ron, what happened?" she asked. She knew she sounded ditzy, but she had to make sure she'd heard right. "Harry sounded pretty upset."
Ron nodded. "Cho broke up with him and he completely lost it. I told him to go take a walk and calm down."
Hermione quickly glanced at Ron. "Ron, I really need to talk to you. Please, please, please don't go ballistic when I tell you this, okay?" She linked her hands together in her lap and stared down at them. "I'm… I'm in love… with Harry," she managed to squeeze out in a small voice. Then, she covered her face with her hands and waited for Ron to get over the shock she was expecting him to feel.
"I know," said Ron calmly.
"What?" Hermione looked at Ron. "You knew? How? Wait… was it that obvious?"
Ron nodded, grinning. "Of course. I've suspected it since at least second year. Why haven't you ever told him?"
Hermione shook her head and shrugged. "I don't know. I guess I was just too afraid that he would… I mean, that he wouldn't… I mean…"
Ron hugged her. "I know. It's difficult. Right now, though, I think you should really tell him. I know he was acting angry about what happened between him and Cho, but I know that he's hurting a lot. Maybe could use a little boost in his confidence right now. Let him know that there's another girl who thinks he's special." He gave Hermione another squeeze and shoved her off the couch. "Get going; there's no time like the present," he said with a sparkle in his eye.
Hermione jumped up from where she had landed on the floor and gave Ron a huge smile. "Here goes," she said.
~*~*~*~
Never again
, thought Harry. I will never again be so stupid as to think that there is a girl out there who loves me and will always feel that way. Love's a joke. Girls are only going to hurt me. He sat down by the lake and watched the water lap softly at his feet. He used to come here with Cho and watch sunsets. At the thought, another pang of sadness hit him and he finally let tears slide silently down his cheeks."Harry?" asked a timid voice behind him. He recognized it immidiately as Hermione's and quickly wiped the tears away. She couldn't see him crying. He didn't answer; he didn't trust his voice not to crack with a sob.
Hermione slowly sat down beside him and gazed out across the lake. Beautiful sunset, she thought. "Harry, are you all right?" She watched him out of the corner of her eye as he continued to physically watch the water, although she knew he wasn't seeing it.
"I don't know," he answered honestly. "I've never been this hurt by love before."
His friend fidgeted with her hands. She seemed nervous. "Um, Harry? I know this is probably a horrible time to say this, but I just have to…"
Harry waited in silence. He thought he knew what was coming, and he didn't want to hear it. He'd had enough of girls and he knew he didn't want to get involved with one ever again.
*~*I'm not the kind of girl, thinks I can change the world*~*
*~*With a simple twirl of my hair*~*
*~*I'll never break your heart, tear your soul apart*~*
*~*With just a simple spark from my stare*~*
Hermione continued. "See, I really like you, Harry. I mean, more than just a friend. I mean, I've had such strong feelings for you for the longest time that I just had to tell you. Harry… I love you."
That did it. Harry couldn't stay silent. He knew he had to say something. Something inside of him ached to put his arms around Hermione and hold her close, tell her that he'd always loved her, too. But, he thought sadly, I can't. I can't tell her that I love her. She'd just hurt me like Cho did. Cho was just in it so she could say that she was dating the famous Harry Potter. The Boy Who Lived. The famous boy with the scar who defeated Voldemort. Why should I believe that Hermione isn't in it for the prestige, too?
*~*Won't go playing with your insides, take your wallet for its big size*~*
*~*Won't be suckered in by those silly games*~*
*~*Oh, oh, I'm not that kinda girl*~*
*~*Oh, oh, I'm not that kinda girl*~*
A small voice inside of Harry piped up. You dolt! it cried, You complete idiot! You've known Hermione for seven years. Why on earth should she care who you are? You know you love her, and you know she loves you for you. She couldn't care less who you are or what you've done!
Hermione sneaked a look at Harry. He looked as though he was having some difficulty with his emotions. Maybe he doesn't feel the same way. What have I done? She felt panicky. She was sure she'd just ruined her friendship with Harry, and was sure, too, that he would hate her forever. "Harry, please, say something," she begged.
"I don't… I can't… I don't know what to say, Hermione. Cho used me. She wanted her social status to be higher and so she --"
*~*I'm not the kind of girl, thinks you can rule my world*~*
*~*With a simple wave of your hand*~*
*~*So don't you put me down, or start to play around*~*
*~*'Cause when you see me frown, just beware*~*
Hermione's eyes narrowed and filled with tears. She struggled to control the rage building in her heart. "How… DARE… you," she managed to say. "You've known me for longer than anyone else on this earth except for Ron. I am one of your best friends. I stood by when you were with Cho and I never complained. You and Ron know me better than anyone else on this earth and you have the gall to --"
*~*Don't go playing with my insides, tell me stories, tell me big lies*~*
*~*Won't be suckered in by those foolish games*~*
*~*Oh, oh, I'm not that kinda girl*~*
*~*Oh, oh, I'm not that kinda girl*~*
Harry gazed into Hermione's eyes. He found things there that he'd never found in Cho. He found honesty and sincerity; he found friendship and love; he found the kind of love that didn't care who he was. He found the kind of love he'd always wanted to have but knew Cho would never give him. All of a sudden, he knew --he just knew-- that Hermione would never play him like Cho had.
*~*Oh, oh, I'm not that kinda girl*~*
*~*Oh, oh, I'm not that kinda girl*~*
Harry leaned over and pulled Hermione close to him. He wrapped his arms around her and breathed in the scent of her hair. "Hermione," he whispered, "I know. I've always known deep inside that you love me, and I've always known that I love you. And," he added, "I know now that I trust you and know that you love me for me, not for who everyone else thinks I am."
Hermione felt her anger slip away. She looked up at Harry and knew that what he said was true. "Oh, Harry," she whispered back, "I know you didn't mean to imply that I was like Cho. I just… I don't know, just the thought that you would imagine that I was anything like that just made me angry. I know you didn't mean it."
"I love you, Hermione."
"I love you, too, Harry."
*~*Not that kind of girl that'll make you lost your mind*~*
*~*Want to be the kind of girl you'll never leave behind*~*
*~*You're gonna take it, never fake it, and you know you'll see*~*
*~*That I'm just the kind of girl I've always wanted to be*~*
A/N Well, wasn't that just the biggest fluff story you've ever read? Yeah, it made me gag, too. ::wink:: For those of us who haven't found our Harry Potters yet, don't lost faith (and please, don't hate Hermione… she means well). =) Thanks for reading, now be sure to review! And please, please, pretty please with cherries (and whipped cream, for you picky eaters out there), be nice! This is my very first story, and I just couldn't bear it if I got horrible reviews. Constructive criticism is definitely welcomed, but don't just be a meanie and say, "I hated it. It sucked." Well, geez, if you're gonna flame me at least make it worthwhile! "You had the characters way too OOC, you made the story too long, I think Hermione should be with Ron, and your story-telling leaves a lot to be desired." Then, if you want to say that you hated it and it sucks, be my guest. However, I've read wonderful reviews for other stories, so please, I need at least one person to say they didn't hate it! ::grovels on knees:: Sob! Please, for the love of-- Oh yeah, and so I don't have to put in a disclaimer: these characters are not mine, I don't own them, I only own the story. Oh, and the featured song is 'Not That Kind of Girl' (I'm sure you guys all figured that one out fairly quickly, though!) by Vitamin C. Thanks for reading! =)